Meth Detox

Detox from meth IS tough and something no addict looks forward to.

Many times addiction wins over the painful stresses of withdrawals because if ever an addict tries to quit on their own, they soon realize that their body has adjusted to having a steady stream of meth ingested into it and the removal of the substance can cause a great deal of emotional as well as physical pain and anxiety. It is this process that usually keeps a meth addict in the cycle of addiction.

There comes a time when every meth addict realizes that the ride is no longer fun, however this is a ride that doesn’t have an easy way off. As such, it is best to know what you’re up against before you make your first move, so I’ve written a little about the first steps to recovery.

First things first however,

You have to want to quit

There is nothing and no one that can make you quit – you have to want to quit. And I don’t mean sort of wanting to be clean — I mean you have to want it with every fiber of your being.

Arguably, the hardest part of quitting meth is the detox process. This process begins just after you decide not to take any more meth into your body and the hardest part of this is generally within the first 48 hours. During the detox (or withdrawal) process an addict will likely experience anxiety, agitation, sleeplessness and intense cravings and while these will continue throughout the recovery process, these first couple days are generally the hardest to get through.

You have to stay focused

Keep your eyes on the prize. Picture yourself climbing a mountain and you are nearing the peak; on the other side is a new life; free of this 10 ton elephant on your back. You will find that as time passes the cravings will slowly fade and you have to remember during this time that they will fade.

Take care of yourself during the meth detox process and beyond

Listen to your body – if your body is sending you signals that you need to sleep then sleep, if you are hungry – eat. In the first few days, you will likely sleep for a very long time and then go on an eating binge, followed by more sleep. Your body needs this to repair and recover. There is also a strong likelihood that you will feel like you are in a fog for the days following this process — This WILL fade. Stay focused and try and get into a normal routine to get your mind off the cravings.

Take good care of yourself! Exercising may seem like the last thing you want to do at this point, however you will find that exercise can help rid your body of toxins through sweat and help your state of mind. You CAN do this. Take vitamins, drink lots of water and take extra good care of your teeth by using mouthwash and brushing after each meal.

If you can’t afford a rehab or are unable to get into one, try an at home program.

These are inexpensive and can give you tons of information so you aren’t digging through Google searches for hours on end. One at-home program I know of is SMART Recovery.

Find a 12 step meeting near you

Once you have successfully gotten past those first couple of days, find a 12 step meeting near you. Support and encouragement from others who have been through the process will help you and possibly save you from relapse many times over.

A note on Detoxing at home: I am no doctor, however I do know that it is possible that you will have vomiting episodes in the first days. Get a good quality electrolyte solution and keep in handy. Go to the ER if you are vomiting regularly and can’t keep any fluid down. Dehydration is no joke and being that your body is already taxed, you could end up in a coma or worse.

I wish you the very best and hope this will somehow help and/or empower you to quit. Getting through detox can be rough, but I promise you that you can do it. Quitting meth truly is more an issue of mind-over-matter than anything.

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if a dope phene like me can get clean and stay clean? then anyone can!

Beverlycastillo41

Omg!! I know exactly how u feel. I was clean for almost a year. Used couple of times very little. And this after heavy every day using for 6 years. Then used for a week that turned into 2 weeks. Two weeks and im as bad as i ever was. I can feel my life slipping away. Out of control. I hate it! Just want to be happy again. So i quit again. I know the pain. The hurt. The hibernation. And food. Mad. Sad. Tired. Dead. Torture. This time has been worse than ever. For five days. Dont know how i went to work kids to school cleaned house. Torture! Indescribable! Broke down and used. And now coming down and know whats bout to happen. Ive never posted to anything but i just know how you feel. I hate dope. I hate that i relapsed and i hate how im about to feel. I just want to live! And be happy and free from this. And be able to wear short sleeve shirts again!

Mollypelton

I got caught by my husband. There has been nothing more humiliating then telling him that I have a problem. for the last week he has been trying to get our finances back in some sort of order. He is trying to be supportive….but doesn’t fully understand what I’m up against. I have been without meth for almost 24 hours….I know that doesn’t sound like anything…I truly want to pull my hair out..I’m afraid to sleep, afraid to stop moving, and mostly afraid of the crash that is about to happen…I am hoping that some of the info here will help me. And I am hoping that between my husband and son that I can make it another 24 hours. Truth is I like this drug. And quitting is going to be the hardest thing I have ever had to do!!!! But I guess on the plus side…I REALLY DO WANT TO QUIT!!!!!!

Mb-marshall

This is my predicament… twelve years ago, I would wake up in the morning and the first thought I would have as my eyes opened was ‘oh fuck, another day.’ I had been depressed for a few years and had tried several anti-depressants with the only results being a sad sex life, almost passing out whenever I stood up, and an alergic reaction to sunlight. Thoughts of suicide hovered in my mind all the time. I was working in a bar part time on weekends and would get some coke to keep me up and halfway sociable. My main job was being a successful hairstylist with a 16 year folllowing of clients all of whom I could barely stand to look at when they walked through the door. I would look for excuses to cancel appts just so I would be alone and sleep, was starting to avoid friends and family and just wanted to hide from everyone and be alone. Then one night at the bar my dealer gave me some meth to sample and that is when life for me changed. From the moment I used the meth life became amazzing for me! I felt energetic, alive, motivated, friendly! My business picked up because my attitude improved , I started having interest in the lives of the people around me and became involved with my family again and bought a house. People were amazed at the change they saw in me and so was I. I had become a productive, happy human being that looked to a future filled with hope and excitment, not gloomy negative doom and depression. Two Years ago I got popped with drugs in my car and ended up with a felony possesion charge and some other events changed in my life as well, due to the negative effects of meth. I ended up in court appted meth therapy classes at which point my therapist said I would be a good candidate for aderall but I would be laughed out of the doctors office because of my meth arrest. So I keep using because I NEVER NEVER want to feel the way I did before, but would give anything to have some legal way to keep feeling sane. Those first few weeks of detox and coming down were exactly how I felt everyday for about 15 years before meth (do I dare say) saved me and i’m terrified at the thought of quitting unless I could have a legal backup of something that had the same effect. If anyone could give me some helpful info I would be eternally grateful!

Bremeaders

I have seriously been on a meth binge for 7 months solid I started the day I was released from hospital I had my 4th bby n I really wanted to loose the weightlittle did I know I lost my fking mind n the process my home was unaffordable lost my babies n entire life this is hard I feel sick its day 1 wat do I do?

babyboo82

I came here to give hope to all of the people out their who are either thinking about quitting or are in the process of quitting. It is probably the hardest thing you will ever have to do in your life but YOU CAN DO IT! Stay strong & never give up hope! It will get easier! You CAN live a happy life withOUT meth! I smoked meth all day everyday for almost 4 yrs. I would do what ever I had to to get it but I have been clean for 2 yrs. now and counting. I have no intentions on ever doing it again. I have had many opportunities to use again and again but I made the choice to quit & stay quit! I am not religious, I do not have kids nor a husband. If I can do it, so can you! Although I was completely happy with my life on meth for a long time I eventually lost almost everything! After several times in & out of jail, always looking over my shoulder & thinking I would be smarter than the time before but always somehow managing to end up back in jail again I finally decided to stay clean after the last time I got busted…it was the same time that the love of my life got caught cooking meth for the last time. He will now spend the rest of his life in prison. I am restricted from ever seeing him again. I don’t want to end up like him or like half of the people I know. I have had 2 friends die from meth and many more that look like death or are in prison & wished they were dead. I have lost my house. I have lost my business. I have lost my dogs & everything I owned. I could go on all day about the losses, the terrible things I did, saw & happened to me on meth but everyone here probably already knows the consequences of using meth. Please don’t wait until you lose everything & everyone you care about before you quit. The sooner you quit the easier it will be! There’s no time like right NOW! Never quit quitting! Keep researching websites like this to learn more about quitting. Take vitamins, drink water, exercise, stay active, get plenty of rest & good food, go to meetings, get a sponsor, tell your friends & family, use their support, educate yourself & believe in yourself! Search for help as if you were searching for the drug! Good luck to you all & keep up the good work!

Hope

On my second day of not using meth I’m hurting bad . What can I take to help with the numbness and pain?

doitright

i have been clean since june 2012 and all i still want to do is sleep maybe thats good?i also have breathing issues when i exhale i make a sound its real crappy.a Doctor put me on wellbutrin and it made stopping much easier also an alpha blocker which slows heart rate etc.Meth is no joke it will eat you while you walk ever here what they make it with you dont want to know.Anyone who starts someone on meth should realize you just destroyed another human and you should go to jail to some you gave them an early grave.Its sad to think what women do for meth things they would never even consider clean.I have meet people that ended up killed because of this terrible problem.I lived in a town that everyone i knew or met was on meth and half of them sold it.Please you think you are ok but thats the drug taalking do whatever it takes to stop before it leads you to a much worse place. GOOD LUCK

hayley

when my now hubby got clean he had a choice me or drugs he did nothing but sleep for a good year, it was a well deserved catch up.

hayley

restavit…sorry bit late, but yeah restavit in oz is an over the counter sleeping pill. and depending on your stance for weed thats also an option.

Boon

Fake a week long sickness, you sleep it off for a week, you can make it

joe

I KNOW WHAT TO DO COME CLEAN NOW! Don’t wait for the ugly side affects. My wife did the same exact thing it got bad in every way. And I hate her for being a lying sneak. Hope this helps.

Staycalm

I’m a 22 year old male in WA, USA. I’ve been using drugs since I was a kid, only 12. I stuck to “clean” stuff for the large majority of this time. About 8 months ago I landed a dealer who gives me massive quantities of crystal for the price a beggar could stay high 24/7 on. Since then I’ve used it every single day except seven simultaneous days. That was roughly a month ago. I quit my job on a bender, left my girlfriend, alienated my family and all my friends who didn’t use too, I gave up and lost sight of all my passions and goals in life. I wish I could want to quit. After I hit the lowest point yet, I covered all the proof of my drug use and formulated a spectacularly elaborate piece of bullshit to explain my bad choices and sudden change of values. It all worked great and now I’ve mended relationships with my friends and family and am even working on my new career! I’ve become more socially functional and honestly I’m more satisfied with the progress I’ve made since I hit rock bottom than any transition in my life so far. I have truly become the addict I’ve always been afraid I am. How long will I live if I don’t stop? Is it normal to go 8 months without developing some degree of tolerance? Am i experiencing a paradoxical chemical reaction to this volatile and dangerous substance

jesse

I used for 20 years the last ten everyday and I had to quit a very lucrative job and collect unemployment I don’t know if any of this is applicable no one knew I used and the day I quit I told my mom and it was possibly the most important part of quitting I would call her daily and tell her how many days it had been day 13 then day 14 then day 15 etc and the pride I felt in myself and the pride that she relayed to me was all the difference I am at day 230 today and I don’t call and tell her every day but when I see her I tell her or on big days such as day 200 or seven months I make a point of calling her If you tell someone that you trust they will understand if they are worth their salt and they will be proud of you and this will overshadow any disappointment the might feel the fact that you want to get better should make them proud so it may seem like drivel but confide in someone it made every difference to me

smokeysue martin

hi im the same as you and my husband is in jail now its heart braking, my husband turned against me and my children he was very nasty and said some nasty things I just couldn’t cope with it all so I left him. Now his in prison and im worried about him, I haven’t heard a thing from him. My husband was always very angry and didn’t want to be around me or my children I worry about him every day is he ok whats hi doing ect and I read all the comments on here it scares me I love my husband so much just don’t know what to do any more 🙁

bear

its not just the lonliness that hurts, its the despair of not knowing where to turn. I have been clean off and on for about 4 months. the cravings are horrific still, and the pressure I feel from myelf and others is indescribable. this drug will not just take your physical body and possessions, but your entire since of humanity.

bear

hi, I used for 4 years till sometime about 3 months ago. on the tolerance issue, it depends on what your ROA is and how much you use on a daily basis. see, my ROA was IV so my tolerance skyrocketed, I was up to a Gram and a half a week just to be able to function. if you smoke it or snort it, I would say your tolerance would go up a little slower than if you IV’d. also, the Average lifespan of a meth user (Depending on ROA) is around 7 years. its not a paradoxical reaction. its just what happens when we as addicts are able to keep the ruse going just that little bit longer. I am only a year younger. believe me, I became something I never dreamed of. I kept my use hidden for almost 2 years from the “major” people in my life. Then it got out of control. I told all my family, said I didn’t care if I died, cussed out my mom which I would NEVER do, an ended up in jail on schedule 2 charges. in order for you to want what you say, you have to decide that that high, and that rush, isn’t worth death, Jail, Heart breaking sorrow and every other form of emotional suffering you can imagine. you think now that you pulled one over on your family and friends, but guess what, when you DO hit your absolute lowest, all the things you did will come out. there are only two choices to consider when thinking about getting clean, Do you want Death?…..Or Do You want Life?

bear

you have to choose whether those “friends” are worth the consequences you know are possible. I am still in that phase of letting go of those who I used with. in my mind, its either ME, or THEM. it wont be them, in the morgue. it wont be them in jail. it wont be them homeless begging for food. it would be YOU. No person is worth the hell this drug causes. I would rather be ALONE than DEAD.

bear

congrats Btw on changing your number. but don’t be expecting it to just go away. believe me, the easy part is over.

bear

I thought too about using Adderall to help brighten my mood and increase energy, but I realized I have been chemically dependent so long I don’t even remember who I really am. so I am (Trying) to steer clear of anything.

bear

terror is im sure an understatement for the possibility of quitting something that gave us the best feeling EVER. I have used IV meth for 4 years and im only 21. I finally had had enough or so I though about 3-4 months ago. I still have intense cravings, slow short term memory, mood swings, an despair like an atom bomb. so I have been trying Adderall or vyvanse. and let me tell ya MB-Marshall, when you use either med it will instantly remind you of meth. I don’t know any meds that could ease your pain beside downers like valium for sleep. all I can say is prepare to suffer. remember, your body is like a kid throwing a tantrum. it wants what it wants right now, but you cant give in. no matter what you do, once you quit, DO NOT LOOK BACK. I hope you make it through.

bear

Drink water, powerade, and lay off the sugars. if you hadn’t ate before hand your stomach will cause problems. just take it easy.

bear

I Hope you have gotten clean, but even though you started this alone, its not something you can walk away from alone. no matter how much pain you think you eill cause, its no comparision to what they would feel if you did quit and relapsed and died. hope your ok.

bear

no, you should. there is barely any resources for people trying to escape this hellish drug. even if someone charges, so what? what would you give be yourself again? what would you pay just to have support when your mind is full of lies and you have nowhere else to turn? if you had those answers you prob wouldn’t be calling someone who got clean off meth a disgrace. Btw. debt has no bearing on Life or Sanity.

My meth secret78

The most difficult part of getting off meth is the depression and lack of energy.

Sherry

The longest I’ve been clean was 63 days (that was my second quit attempt, my first lasted 2 weeks)…for me, the “Eat. Sleep. Cry.” stage lasted 3 weeks, I slept about 16 hours a day, and I ate constantly while awake, to the point where my stomach would hurt and I’d still eat…then I started sleeping to much half the time and not being able to sleep half the time, my energy level was still at like -10 or something, but I was eating a little less and didn’t feel so sad, more “empty”-ish…near the end of it I was finally just BARELY getting energy (but still not enough to function like any normal adult with a life at all)…it was hardly even a noticeable amount of improvement. My skin was better though (I’m a picker) and my eating was getting under control but still kinda bad…however, mentally I was getting slowly and steadily Worse. I didn’t expect that, and neither did my family, my mom even brushed it off when I told her about how when I walk down the street and see a big truck or semi moving kinda fast, you know, something that wouldn’t be able to stop in time if I jumped in front of it, I would have this sick thought/urge to jump into the road and get hit…I never Truly considered doing it, however the creepy part is how when this happened my walking would actually curve outward towards the road, like I would look down and realize I was now walking right along the edge of the sidewalk, not in the middle where I typically walk…it started scaring me enough that, in combination with the low energy levels, the fear of weight gain, the painful constipation (body got used to stimulants in all sorts of ways I had never guessed it would!), and the honest fact that I basically got clean for other people, I relapsed, and have stayed relapsed. However I am being forced into a situation soon that will mean I have to quit, so I’m scared of what will happen.

Stephen Moffett

I don’t wanna call you an idiot like the other guy did but either you were joking or you are an idiot my friend. Believe me this is no joking matter go to another discussion if you wanna play games. Please there are people that want help.

guessedwrong

From my experience detoxing from meth resulted in craving every crumb of food I could get my hands on no matter how full or naseous more eating gave me. And extreme fatigue and sleeping near constantly only waking for the toilet and eating like a pig before zoning out and sleeping again.